An Orchestra = An Instrument of Hope
Conducting our world
It was suggested to me once that orchestras were a great source of hope. They comprised of many individuals, an assortment of instruments, holding a cacophony of sounds & moving parts, & if all these things can be pulled together to make a cohesive, beautiful sound then there is hope for anything in the world.
I have thought about this alot.
Like any well constructed piece of music there is a flow -
There are high notes, Low notes, The ones that dance across the page notes. Dramatic notes, Whispering notes, And the all important suspension of notes.
And like a piece of music, life has its rhythms.
I am a routine person - I like a bit of order. It gives me stability. I am not always in the same spot. I travel, I stay with friends, so I have other peoples routines to consider.
How to remain in the flow when life does not flow in the same direction all the time? How do we cope with random?
We are all like different pieces of music. Sometimes we are jazz, sometimes rock, sometimes it’s the languid sounds of a cowboy ballad or maybe melancholic tunes weave their thread of sadness deep into our bones.
When we recognise what ‘piece‘ we are at any given time, we can conduct ourselves accordingly.
My normal routine consist of me getting up before dawn ( please don’t hate me - I’m a morning person!), I meditate, walk, do some yoga, drink my brew - my world starts the day with consistency & structure & checking in with how my inner landscape is, then I can get on with my day. And yet sometimes that routine completely shatters.
Stepping out of our ‘normal’ to embrace ‘other’ makes us more receptive, less angsty & rigid with everything. Finding, and importantly allowing different rhythms & tempos keeps us harmonised.
Musical notes aren’t random - can you imagine going to listen to an orchestra where every musician did what they wanted? It would be a chaotic mess to our ears. For ourselves, keeping grounded despite changes in tempo requires us to have a steadiness that comes with a certain regularity, then adjusting to the flow of different rhythms as they come along - a bit like verses & choruses or learning to dance to the beat of the proverbial different drum.
I was away recently.
I woke when I woke, which was, early, but instead of up and out, I went and made tea.
I got back into bed.
I wrote, I listened to the world wake up.
I watched the sunrise from my bed,
I ate breakfast while I read my book,
I went for a swim.
I sat on a rock and watched the sea which, is its own form of meditation.
And do you know what? I survived. Yes, it was somewhat of a surprise to me too, that not being in my ‘normal’ routine did not ruin my day.
We sometimes get stuck in our routines because they keep us safe & grounded- we find comfort in the familiar. And in a very unpredictable world sometimes it is what we need.
But can we find that same sense of stability when a shift - either conscious or unconscious happens? Or do we lose our sense of place in the world?
Hope is a born function of struggle. People with increased hopefulness have experienced, have understood, and embraced struggle. Hopelessness is a dire consequence of many things & not perceiving alternatives is one.
Maybe listening & appreciating an orchestra does give us hope. Many moving parts & individual components coming together, literally becomes music to our ears and our hearts.
Sometimes, in life, we might need to sit in the transitions, like the suspension of notes in a piece of music - a place of anticipation of what’s coming next - where the hope of good things to come can emanate & make sweet melodies with all the different pieces of our life.
Have a great week
Thanks, as always, for being here.
Mon x
Spaces available on Coolah Creek Retreat May 19 -21. Info HERE
I promised to post the recipe for the Chicken soup I make as the weather turns cool ( or anytime my immune system need support. Here it is:
Immune Boosting, Life Giving Chicken Soup ( I kid you not)
10 cloves garlic, smashed ( about 1 bulb)
2 tblspn grated ginger
1 tblspn fresh grated turmeric
1 litre chicken or vege stock
1 litre water
500 g chicken thighs or breast, cut into chunks
2 bunches coriander, chopped
¼ cup mirin or rice wine - optional
3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
Combine the garlic, turmeric, ginger, stock, water and chicken into a large pot
Simmer for 5 – 10 minutes over a low heat until chicken is cooked through
Add mirin, tamari and coriander just before serving.
Top photo Credit: Photo by Oană Andrei